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A woman was fined $5,000 at Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (October 27) for managing an unlicensed guesthouse in Mong Kok.
The court heard that in June this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Dundas Street, Mong Kok. An OLA officer posed as a lodger and rented a room in the guesthouse on a daily basis. Later during the investigation, officers found 11 rooms in the premises for rent.
According to the OLA's records, the guesthouse did not have a valid certificate of exemption or a licence under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance on the day of inspection. The female manager of the guesthouse was charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse and enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal guesthouse operations to ensure the safety of lodgers.
He appealed to the public to call the OLA hotline (2881 7498), send e-mail (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk) or download a report form from the website, www.hadla.gov.hk, to report any suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA.
Ends/Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Issued at HKT 17:00
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